The list
WASHINGTON, DC
1 JEFFERSON MEMORIAL Five tons of bronze was used to make a fitting monument to the man who drafted the Declaration of Independence. This tribute to our third president was modeled after the Pantheon of Rome and is perched next to the Tidal Basin. |
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2 NEWSEUM Extra! Extra! A 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment welcomes you to DC’s latest museum. Five centuries of news history fill a 1.5-mile-long exhibit route, so set aside a big chunk of your day to see it all. www.newseum.org |
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3 EASTERN MARKET DC This DC institution got a jump on the locavore trend: It’s been offering up fresh fruits, veggies, meat and dairy products from nearby farms since 1873. You’ll also find crafts, jewelry and antiques, and don’t miss out on a plate of Blue Bucks (blueberry buckwheat pancakes) from Market Lunch. www.easternmarketdc.com |
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4 NATIONAL GALLERY ICE SKATING RINK Skate among sculptures by Joan Miró, Sol LeWitt and Ellsworth Kelly, starting in mid-November. In addition to the works of art, festive lights and hot cocoa from the Pavilion Café make for a perfect day on the ice. |
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5 EMBASSY ROW Formerly an avenue of mansions housing DC socialites, the tree-framed Massachusetts Avenue is now where you’ll find more than 50 embassies. Statues, including those of Mahatma Gandhi and Winston Churchill, line the street, and the National Cathedral and US Naval Observatory— official home to the Vice President—sit at the other end. |
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6 MITSITAM NATIVE FOODS CAFE At the National Museum of the American Indian’s cafeteria, the food is separated into five regions, offering indigenous ingredients prepared using traditional methods. The cedar-planked, fire-roasted juniper salmon is a Northwest Coast menu standout, and chicken tamales with peanuts and chilies are a highlight from South America. www.nmai.si.edu |
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7 INDEPENDENT SHOPPING PARTY Wander up Wisconsin Avenue away from Georgetown’s M Street shops, and you’ll find independent boutiques that range from classy to sassy. We One You Two (www.weoneyoutwo.com) offers edgier designs like belted animal-print dresses and stylish trench coats; don’t miss the chandelier-lit dress salon. Urban Chic (www.urbanchic-dc.com), voted 2008’s “best boutique” by the Washingtonian, and Sassanova (www.sassanova.com), known for its shoe and jewelry collections, are also closet-nourishing hotspots. |
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8 CORCORAN GALLERY OF ART In conjunction with the presidential election, the gallery is running a special exhibit, “Richard Avedon: Portraits of Power” through Jan. 25. More than 200 of Avedon’s political portraits of the country’s power elite will be on display, many for the first time. www.corcoran.org |
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9 Let’s Talk Politics Follow Capitol Hill’s movers and shakers to Hawk ‘N’ Dove(www.hawkanddoveonline.com), where representatives from both parties gather to gripe. Or, sip on a campaign cocktail at Mayflower Hotel’s Town & Country Lounge (www.marriott.com) and you just might run into your senator. End the night by taking a bite out of history at Old Ebbitt Grill (www.ebbitt.com), which has been wining and dining bigwigs since 1856. |
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10 THE OLD POST OFFICE PAVILION AT 315 FEET TALL—and smack dab between the White House and Capitol building—the Old Post Office Pavilion Clock Tower has views to write home about. You’ll see Washington National Cathedral, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. Stop by on Thursday night to hear the Congressional Bells—a gift from Great Britain, modeled after those at Westminster Abbey. www.oldpostofficedc.com |
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